Violent protests against the G20 summit in Hamburg continued for the second night with rioters attacking police, erecting barricades and trashing shops and vehicles. At least 143 people have been detained and over 200 police officers injured so far.

“We have never experienced this level of hate and violence,” Hamburg police spokesman Timo Zill told the Bild tabloid.

Demonstrators were armed with Molotov cocktails and iron bars, police said in a press statement.

“At the interception Schanzenviertel district [in central Hamburg], the forces were permanently subjected to violent attacks,” the statement added.

The anti-globalist demonstrations in Hamburg were organized under the slogan “Welcome to Hell.” The protests turned violent on Thursday night, erupting in confrontations with police. Clashes began in the evening, with police using pepper-spray and water cannons against the rioters.

Speaking to the German broadcaster NDR, a spokesman for the "Welcome to Hell" demo, Andreas Blechschmidt, distanced himself from "senseless violence" and heavy rioting.

On Friday evening, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said that such violent clashes are unacceptable.

"I have every understanding for peaceful demonstrations, but violent demonstrations endanger human lives, they endanger people themselves, they put police officers and security forces in danger, put residents in danger, and so that is unacceptable,” she said.